Video files can't be seen or transferred

[Smolenski7]

I have a Sony Cyber Shot W150 digital camera. Over the past 2 years I have shot some small video clips periodically that I thought were uploaded to my desktop at the same time as the still images whenever I placed the memory stick into my printer's card reader. Today, I went to go look at some of those video clips and found out that they are no where to be found on my hard drive. In fact, when I went to the folders where I thought they were, there was a missing file. For example, Sony applies a number to each file as a name. Files DSC101 and DSC103 may be sitting next to each other, but file DSC102 is missing......the video clip.

After I discovered the problem I noticed that the only software that will see any video on the Sony Memory Stick is the software that came with the camera itself, Sony Picture Motion Browser 3.0. This is the only software that will transfer the video clips; Canon's ZoomBrowser and Windows Explorer don't even see the video on the camera. That's the reason why I'm having this problem, I never used Sony's software and the other programs never gave me an error message or warning that the video clips were not being transferred to the computer.

I have searched for all video on my computer with no luck. I have searched for all MPEG's, again with no luck. I have checked the options for the folders just to make sure that MPEG's can be seen as well as making sure that all hidden files can be seen.

I guess I have a couple of questions:

1. Why is Sony Picture Motion Browser the only software that will transfer the video clips to my hard drive? The files are MPEG1.

2. I never received an error message, so is it possible the video clips (MPEG1 files) are on my hard drive somewhere or in a folder that I can't see?

 

[Nanobyte]

Do a search for DSC102* and/or DSC* and/or *.mpg (or mpeg if that is your norm). It may have accidentally been renamed or lost its extension.

You could also do a search based on the date. Search all drives for *.* dated around the time you made the video.

I hate Window Search function so I use other software but you should be able to do the above, somehow.

Edit:
I had a look at the W150 handbook. There are several variants of the camera but I assume operation is similar. I have a Fuji camera. When I started to install the software, I didn't like what it was doing (I don't remember the issue) so skipped the install. Now when I connect my camera via USB, the Windows "Scanner and Camera Wizard" utility automatically starts up. I vaguely remember the PC detected the camera as a new device and I may have installed some drivers. That utility is not great to use but seems to work fine. I use software other than what Fuji supplied to edit pics.

If you have valuable pics in the camera right now, you make not want to try this:
Connect your camera to the PC
If the Sony software starts up, close it
Start the Scanner and Camera Wizard (Start/Programs/Accessories) and see if it picks up your camera.
Go with the flow....

 

[Smolenski7]

Thanks for the replies.

I did several searches. I looked for specific files, mpegs, and even for all videos. Nothing showed up at all.

I got the camera 2 years ago, and with the exception of the few times I used the Sony software to move the pictures and videos from the memory stick to the hard drive, all of the videos are gone (or were never transferred to begin with). I use the card reader to move the files every time. Although, once I discovered what had happened, I did try to move the videos using the USB cord; it didn't make a difference. The videos never transferred unless I used the Sony software.

I'll try to put the memory stick into the card reader and see if the computer can "see" the video files, but I don't think I can. The card reader is a part of my HP All In One printer, not a part of the CPU. Although, maybe if I use the HP Photo Center software it might work.